Happy Valentine's Day

Today we celebrate Valentine's Day - a day dedicated to love and romance, or at least to general once-a-year approximations of the same. The truth is that Valentine's Day is the public front for a sinister conspiracy on the part of the world's florists, greeting card manufacturers, candy makers, restauranteurs, and jewelers dedicated to separating insecure men from their money by preying on their fears of displeasing their women. Men have always known this, but are afraid to admit it. Women have always known it, but accept it as their due for putting up with men for the rest of the year.

The tradition of sending cards or notes on Valentine's Day goes back to - appropriately enough - Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr who lived in the third century and was put to death on - also appropriately enough - February 14th. St Valentine had been imprisoned and sentenced to death for performing clandestine weddings of young Roman men in defiance of the emperor, who needed lots of young, single men to flesh out his army. Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his jailor, and before he was led away to death, he supposedly passed her a note signed, "With Love from your Valentine."

Awwwww...

I used to host a weekly radio program on WEBR, the public access radio station here in Fairfax County, and each year during Valentine's Day week I'd host my "Anti-Valentine's Day Show." The playlist included hits like, "I Hate Myself for Loving You" (by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts); "Love Stinks" (by the J. Geils Band); "Love is a Battlefield" (by Pat Benatar); and "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" (by Tammy Wynette). It tended to be my most popular show each year, at least in terms of the number of on-air calls received. Coincidence? I think not.

How about a few cartoons for Valentine's Day? ...

Such is life for us men ...

Cupid tries to keep up-to-date with the technology ...

This one's pretty obvious, if you think about it ...

And finally, do other species observe their own version of Valentine's Day? One wonders ...

And who can pass Valentine's Day without enjoying the timeless classic by Spike Jones and His City Slickers, "You Always Hurt the One You Love" ...

But nevertheless, I'll take a moment to shelve the cynicism for a moment and wish - via this classic poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning - a happy Valentine's Day to Andrea, Amanda, Angel, Peggy, Buggie, Fiona, Heidi, and all my other digital heartthrobs out there in the blogosphere ...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Happy Valentines Day, ladies! Men, good luck ... you'll need it.

Have a good day. Come back for Cartoon Saturday. More thoughts then.

Bilbo